For Christians, the essence of celebrating Christ’s birth involves living by Christ’s teachings—the spirit and the substance. Considered from that perspective, it would be “daft” to ignore Jesus’ call for love and inclusion and his passion for erasing divisiveness and exclusion. For Christians committed to embodying the spirit of Jesus, as we express our beliefs and vent our feelings we must also show respect for millions of Americans for whom Christmas is not a Holy Day.

Christmas provides a great opportunity for people to see the spirit, love, respect, consideration, and appreciation for all of humankind so characteristic of the one whose name is incorporated into this day. It is an occasion for us to learn from others as well as to teach, if our lessons are desired.

Christians should be expected to remember Jesus during this holiday season even as we exhibit compliance with his teachings. When that happens as it should, there is little need for an emphasis on political correctness. The faith that motivates an observance of Christmas is the faith that inspires Christians to respect the beliefs and traditions of other people in the same way that we expect practicing Muslims, observant Jews, and adherents of other religions to respect us. Actually the principle at stake here is important every day of the year and not only during the holidays of our respective religious traditions or on the calendar of a person who embraces no religion at all.

Those who decry an imagined “war on Christmas” are manipulating the feelings and beliefs of others to gain political advantage in arguments that have no value. Their rants have nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus or any other religion. I’m more concerned that the message of Christmas has been crassly commercialized—making it about buying, buying, buying—than I am about whether someone says “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.”

And I would caution that we should beware when people cast doubt on the motivations of others by claiming they are “being too politically correct.” Too often, those are code words for those who want to excuse themselves and disguise their own motivations while they fail to treat all people fairly and equally.